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Ben Watson

TE

#84

2019 SEASON

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Biography

Watson, 38, is a veteran of 15 NFL seasons with the New England Patriots (2004-2009), Cleveland Browns (2010-12), New Orleans Saints (2013-15, 2018) and the Baltimore Ravens (2016-17). The 6-foot-3, 251-pounder, originally entered the NFL as a first-round draft pick (32nd overall) of the Patriots out of Georgia in 2004 and spent his first six seasons with the team.

Watson, 38, is a veteran of 15 NFL seasons with the New England Patriots (2004-2009), Cleveland Browns (2010-12), New Orleans Saints (2013-15, 2018) and the Baltimore Ravens (2016-17). The 6-foot-3, 251-pounder, originally entered the NFL as a first-round draft pick (32nd overall) of the Patriots out of Georgia in 2004 and spent his first six seasons with the team.

During his NFL career, Watson has played in 195 regular-season games with 135 starts and has 530 receptions for 5,885 yards with 44 touchdowns. He has played in 12 postseason games with nine starts and totaled 22 receptions for 234 yards and three touchdowns.

After six seasons in New England, Watson signed with Cleveland as an unrestricted free agent on March 12, 2010. He joined New Orleans as an unrestricted free agent on March 13, 2013, and signed with Baltimore as an unrestricted free agent on March 10, 2016. After two seasons with Baltimore, Watson re-joined New Orleans as an unrestricted free agent on March 29, 2018.

Last season in New Orleans, Watson played in 16 games with four starts and finished with 35 receptions for 400 yards with two touchdowns. He played in one game in the postseason and caught one pass for 12 yards.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS

Benjamin Watson was signed by the New England Patriots as a free agent on May 10, 2019 ... Originally drafted by New England in the first round (32nd overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft ... Signed by Cleveland as an unrestricted free agent from New England (3/12/10) ... Signed by New Orleans as an unrestricted free agent from Cleveland (3/18/18) ... Signed by Baltimore as an unrestricted free agent from New Orleans (3/10/16) ... Signed by New Orleans as an unrestricted free agent from Baltimore (3/29/18).

Seasonal reviews

2018 (16/4, 1/0 – New Orleans)

Appeared in all 16 regular-season games with four starts and caught 35 passes for 400 yards and two touchdowns.

Played as a reserve and caught one pass for 12 yards in the NFC Divisional Playoff win vs. Philadelphia (1/13).

Was inactive due to injury for the NFC Championship Game vs. L.A. Rams (1/20).

2017 (16/12 – Baltimore)

Appeared in all 16 games with 12 starts and posted a team-leading 61 receptions for 522 yards with four touchdowns. Was tied for the team lead with four receiving touchdowns and second on the team in receiving yards.

Posted season-highs with six receptions for 107 yards and two touchdowns vs. Cleveland (10/7).

Caught two passes for 12 yards and two touchdowns in the AFC Divisional Playoff win vs. Jacksonville (1/12).

2006 (13/13, 3/2)

Started all 13 regular-season games he played in and recorded 49 receptions for 643 yards and three touchdowns.

Played in all three postseason games with two starts and caught 10 passes for 81 yards.

Was inactive due to injury for the final three regular-season games.

Led the Patriots with 95 receiving yards on seven receptions with one touchdown at Minnesota (10/30).

Led team with five receptions and 74 yards and a touchdown at Green Bay (11/19)

Tied for the team lead with six receptions for a team-high 87 yards and one touchdown vs. Chicago (11/26).

Led team with five receptions for 48 yards in AFC Championship at Indianapolis (1/21).

2005 (15/9, 2/2)

Played in 15 games with nine starts and finished with 29 receptions for 441 yards and four touchdowns.

Started both postseason contests and caught five passes for 91 yards and one touchdown.

Was inactive due to injury vs. Tampa Bay (12/17).

Snared his first career touchdown on a 33-yard pass from Tom Brady against Atlanta (10/9).

Led the team with 66 receiving yards on four receptions against New Orleans (11/20).

Led the team with five receptions and 91 receiving yards, including a 63-yard touchdown in the Wild Card Playoff against Jacksonville (1/7), marking the longest touchdown reception in Patriots playoff history.

In a losing effort in the Divisional Playoff game at Denver, (1/14), made a spectacular effort play, when he ran down Broncos CB Champ Bailey on a 100-yard interception return at the Patriots 1-yard line, preventing him from scoring a touchdown.

2004 (1/1, 0/0)

Started the only game he played in as a rookie in the season opener vs. Indianapolis (9/9) and caught two passes for 16 yards.

Was inactive due to injury at Arizona (9/19) before being placed on injured reserve on Sept. 29.

College

Registered 73 receptions for 945 receiving yards and seven touchdowns during collegiate career. Began career at Duke (1999), catching eight passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.

As three-year letterman at the University of Georgia (2001-03), recorded 65 receptions for 852 yards and six touchdowns.

Served as offensive team captain as senior.

Named preseason All-America and All-Southeastern Conference selection as senior. Posted 23 receptions for 324 yards and two scores as senior.

Started 13 games as junior, registering 31 catches for 341 yards and three touchdowns.

Personal

Attended Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.) HS and recorded 31 receptions for 515 yards and five touchdowns as a senior and led team to state championship as junior.

Traveled to Israel with Patriots Chairman & CEO Robert Kraft and a group from the greater Boston area in 2008.

In 2007, traveled with a small group of NFL players on a USO tour visiting U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Traveled to China as Patriots ambassador.

Member of both the National Honor Society and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in high school.

With his wife, Kirsten, created the One More Foundation which is dedicated to spreading the love and hope of Jesus Christ to one more soul.

Annually the Watson family and his foundation have hosted the “The Big BENefit” which provided gift cards to 25 families selected by the New Orleans Family Justice Center for a shopping spree from 2013-15 and was conducted in 2016 and 2017 in Baltimore during his tenure there.

Hosts an annual football clinic in his hometown of Rock Hill that also helps benefit providing meals to impoverished families living in Africa.

A two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year Finalist, being selected as the club nominee from the Saints (2015) and the Ravens (2017).

Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance from the Terry School of Business at Georgia.